Bournemouth, beach town UK

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bournemouth_beach
Bournemouth may just be the most popular beach town in the United Kingdom. The city is on the south coast of England and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town is old with a lot of Victorian architecture including the St. Peter’s Church spire. Because of its heritage as a tourist centre, Bournemouth is rich in in culture as an entertainment, leisure, and recreation centre.

Among the landmarks are the Biscombe Pier and the Bournemouth Pier; the Bournemouth Eye, and the Pavilion Theatre. Festivals in Bournemouth include the Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival, The Arts By the Sea Festival, and The Bourne Free Carnival. Of course as a beach and spa town these things are a must do in Bournemouth. There is also access to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and cinema and sports at the O2 Arena.

As is the case with any seaside city, seafood is important and in England traditional fish and chips tops the list.

Among the best budget restaurants in Bournemouth are Dosa World which serves Indian and South Sri Lankan dishes, Chez Fred which serves French cuisine, and the Goat and Tricycle.

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Rum-spiked Horchata, grainy refreshment

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The Horchata is a traditional beverage made from ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts. The name is traditionally from the Spanish region of Catalonia and the drink is served cold in the summer as a natural form of refreshment.

To make the Rum-spiked Horchata, you will need 1 cup uncooked long grain rice, 2 quarts warm water, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 1/4 cup rum, or to taste, and 16 cubes ice.

To prepare, mix the the rice and warm water together in a bowl and let it stand for 1/2 hour. Save the water and drain and put the rice in the bowl of a food processor. Next add the cinnamon and process until it forms a paste. Return the rice to the water and let stand it stand for at least 2 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally as the water turns milky white. Strain the rice through a fine sieve into a bowl or pitcher and stir in the milk, condensed milk, vanilla, and rum until it is evenly blended. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve divide the ice cubes between four glasses, and pour the chilled horchata.

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Belgian movie producers take aim at UK

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belgian_cinemaThe Belgian cinema industry is hoping to interest British producers and have been making their appeal at Cinema Made an event in London aimed at encouraging UK producers to get on board.

 

Belgium offers its film industry a tax shelter as well as regional film funds which it is hoped would be an added attraction to the Brits. According to one tax expert in Belgium, British producers are way behind other European countries who are taking advantage of the schemes aimed at the movie making industry.

 

Some of the movies that have been filmed in Belgium include “Looking for Eric” a movie about the former France international footballer Eric Cantona, “Parade’s End”, and “The Winter Queen”. But the British movie makers have been slow to the uptake where the Belgian offers are concerned. On the other hand, the television producers have caught hold of a good thing with the new UK TV series “Which Is Witch” being shot there.

 

Cinema Made attracted around 50 UK producers to the event held at Covent Garden in London. Belgian tax schemes are said to generate €200 million per annum.

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Bloody Mary painting the town red

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anaxander

Dame Music, the imprint from Bloody Mary has been literally painting the town red lately with a number of tracks getting good reviews and marks.

Anaxander is one such artist on the label who has been earning positive reviews. Bloody Mary has a reputation of her own with house jams and dance floor tracks and she has done likewise with the Dame Music label.

Her latest gig has seen Mary as one half of the live band The Jaydes; Mary’s friend and studio partner Attan is the other half of the duo. The pair recently released the track “Step on Light”, a single on a vinyl EP. The track is melodious with some glimpses of anger.

The Jaydes are a Berlin-based group and their new self-entitled album “The Jaydes” is due in February 2014. The EP will feature nine tracks and works from other artists. The Jaydes were on Showcase in Germany at the Berlin at the Record Loft in October. The duo has started its own Facebook page.

They have also been popping up on charts as they hit The GROOVE-Magazin top selection list for the month of October as well.

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Amalfi, coastal love

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The town of Amalfi is high in the mountains on the Italian coast in the province of Salerno. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and used to be a stomping ground for the British upper classes.

Main sights in Amalfi include the cathedral of Sant Andrea, the campanile, the convent of Cappuccini, Chiostro del Paradiso, and the Museum of handmade paper. Amalfi is rich in culture and is famous for its lemon liqueur Limonocello and high quality hand-made paper. Festivals held annual include the feast day of St. Andrew the city’s patron saint the Byzantine New Year’s Eve and the regatta.

Country-style cooking is famous all along the Amalfi coast and some tidbits to try include cornetto which is an Italian Croissant, sfogliiatella, follarelli, pizza, mozzarella di bufala which is mozzarella cheese balls, and insalata caprese or Caprian salad.

Seafood is also a must when eating along the coast. Shellfish with pasta is just spectacular.

Some places to try along the Amalfi coast include Pizzeria Trianon da Ciro, Pasticceria Scaturchio, La Tradizione, A’Sciula, and L’Antica Trattoria.

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Hot Apple Cider, autumn bliss

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hot_apple_cider
Nothing warms you up in the dead of winter or a frosty fall night like a drink of Hot Apple Cider and the best thing about this winter treat is that it is so easy to prepare you can leave it in the pot go out and come back and it will be just right!

Hot Apple Cider which can be prepared in a slow cooker needs only four ingredients or sometimes five if you add a little rum. This recipe makes eight drinks and all it needs are 2 quarts or 8 cups of apple cider, six 3-inch cinnamon sticks, plus more for serving if you so desire, 1 medium-sized orange, ⅛ cup whole cloves, Rum ( try Appleton or Jamaican white rum), and additional cinnamon sticks for serving.

To make all you will need to do is pour the apple cider into a 2.5-quart or large slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks to cider. Then, with a toothpick, poke holes all around the orange, about ½ inch to 1 inch apart. Carefully poke the cloves into the toothpick holes in the orange and place the orange into the cider in the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 4 hours. Once done, ladle into mugs along with an ounce or more of rum if you choose to use. Place a cinnamon stick in each glass and serve.

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New lease on life for Camino del Sol

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camino Camino del Sol is to get a new lease on life with a release of the debut album later this month from the French-Belgian trio which first hit the shelves and the airwaves back in 1982.

The album has been described as having a kind of electro-samba beat with some mixed in bossa nova and compared to the sounds of Sade, X-Ray, and Arto Lindsay.

The album had previously been reissued in 2004 on Numero Group and in 2010 while Permanent Vacation also released an expanded, remixed version in 2007.

This version has been newly remastered and is also an extended version on the original label Les Disques Du Crepuscule. It includes bonus cuts and previously unreleased live concert recordings which were recorded during the band’s 1982 tour.

Among the cuts include the band’s debut single “The Boy From Ipanema” which was produced by John Foxx while the concert was recorded alongside Cabaret Voltaire, 23 Skidoo, Tuxedomoon and Pale Fountains.

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British producer gets sued

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Lynne Ramsay the award winning director of such films as “We Need to Talk to Kevin” has been sued after failing to show up for her latest project.

Ramsay was to work on a blockbuster Western “Jane Got A Gun” starringNatalie Portman and Ewan McGregor but quit in March a day before the scheduled start of filming. The producers of the film are suing Ramsey for£500,000.

The producers have demanded that the Brit return $750,000 fee (£466,000) that she was paid to work on the screenplay and to direct the film. The BAFTA nominated Ramsey was cited for breach of contract and also accused of drunken and disruptive behavior.

Actor Michael Fassbender also quit the film and was later replaced by Jude Law but Law also quit as did his replacement Bradley Cooper. Ramsay is reported to not have been presented with an approved schedule, script, or budget before shooting was due to begin which may have accounted for her departure.

McGregor was later recruited for the leading male role while another director Gavin O’Connorwas signed up.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil and is partly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city is famous for its carnival and music as well as its beaches but it also boasts a current modern world wonder in the statue of Christ the Redeemer high above the city on the Corcovado Mountain. Other sites to visit in Rio include Sugarloaf Mountain, Sambodromo, Botafogo Cave, Maracana Stadium, Paco Imperial, Municipal Theatre, Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Barra da Tijuca, and the Museum of Natural History.

There are many historic churches all over the city including the Candeleria Church and Rio de Janeiro Cathedral. Rio is known for the samba and bossa nova music traditions. Famous beaches worth visiting in the city include Ipanema and Copacabana.

Typical food of Rio include feijoada which a black bean stew with pork and pepper and orange peel, chirrasco which is meat roasted over an open ground pit, leao veloso or shrimp head soup.

Some places to try Brazilian cuisine in the city include Cachambeer, Rio Scenarium, and Olympe.

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Drink Sangria

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sangria
Sangria is a refreshing drink that as the name suggests is really, really red. The name is from the Spanish word for blood. It can be made from wine, chopped fruit, sweetener, and a touch of brandy.

While traditionally it has been made with brandy, there are also variations which include Seltzer, Sprite or 7 up. The fruit used does not have to be orange it can also be lemon, lime, apple, peach, melon, berries, pineapple juice, grape, kiwi, or mango.

This drink is popular in Spain and Portugal but is also served in the Americas in Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina.

To make Sangria you will need 1 bottle red wine, 1/4 cup brandy, 1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 orange, thinly sliced, 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced, 1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges, and 1 bottle sparkling water, chilled.

To prepare combine everything except the sparkling water and in a large plastic container or glass pitchers. Cover and chill completely for about 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water.

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